Pipe and cigar lighter



Dec. 19, 1933. J. B. RINTEL 1,940,463

' PIPE AND CIGAR LIGHTER Filed March 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Awa:

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J. B. RINTELS PIPE AND CIGAR LIGHTER Filed March 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ivan-- KM* Patented Dec. 19, 1933 lUNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE l PIPE AND CIGAR LIGHTER Jonathan B. Rimas, Boston, Mass.

Application March 25, 1932. Serial No. 601,113 2 claims. (o1. 21e-3 2) This invention relates to improvements in pipe and cigar lighters. More especially it relates to electrically heated lighters, and particularly to the sort that may be tted in automobiles Iand the like where the electrical energy conveniently may be supplied from an existing source and circuit of electricity, as the battery of the car.' The invention, however, has. a broader scopein that it may be embodied in an effective and convenient protective devicelfor electric lighters used elsewhere.V

Heretofore lighters of the general class to which the invention relates have been usable for lighting cigars and cigarettes, but not for pipes; and pipe smokers have had to continue with the discomfortsof using matches, or else a pocket lighter, either of which is quite unsatisfactory in the wind and air drafts incident to motoring. For while it is theoretically possible to use a cigar lighter for a pipe, there is danger of damage to person and property, and indeed, unless the bowl is very full, so far as I am aware, the existing lighters are inadequate, i. e. they are wholly unsuited for. lighting thel half or quarter filled pipe, so common, among pipe smokers.

l It therefore is a primary object of the present invention toprovide an electric lighter which is particularly adapted for lighting a pipe but which also is conveniently efficient for lighting cigar and cigarettes. 1

Another object is to provide so that the igniter element may be projected little or far into apipe bowl to accomplish its purpose as well when the bowl is a quarter full as when it is completely Still another and important object is to provide a guard for the igniter element which shields and protects against damagingy contact at all times, and exposes the igniter only when it is pressed safely against tobacco in the pipe bowl.

Yet the guard permits ready use of the igniter for cigars or cigarettes by their insertion within the guard into lighting contact with the hot coil. l

The invention may be embodied in lighters of various designs, and in locations other than automobiles, for` effective and safe use as pipe lighters at all times.

In attaining these results any usual or suitable type of igniter element may be mounted at the any pipe bowl with which it is suited to be used; and an interior shoulder constitutes a seat within its end, for the end of the pipe bowl when inserted within the end of the guard.

In use, the igniter element, having been heated 'to igniting temperature in any usual or suitable way, is in a position of recession within the Cylindrical guard as the lighter is ca rred to the pipe by the hand of the user. But, as the end of the pipe bowl enters within the end of the guard, and engages against the said seat, a little pressure applied by the user causes the guard to recede against the tension of its spring means, and thus its glowing interior igniter element is relatively projected toward the pipe, entering the bowl a distance, little or much, until it encounters tobacco contents of the bowl. When the tobacco is ignited, and the lighterfis removed, the cylindrical guard returns, to its position shielding the hot element.

Cigars and cigarettes may be lighted without ,ever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation, in medial section, showing one form of lighter, embodying features of the invention, mounted in the dashboard of an automobile;

Figure la is an elevation of a fragment of -Figure l, looking from the right in that figure, showing a means for securing the lighter in the dash; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but with the Contact button pressed in, closing the electric circuit through the igniter element to heat it;

Figure 3 is an elevation, in medial section, of the lighter of Figure 1, removed from the dash, and with the guard in operative position surrounding and shielding the igniter element.

Figure 4 shows the'lighter in use, with the guard pressed back and the igniter element projected into the bowl of a pipe, into contact with tobacco therein;

Figure 5 is an elevation, in medial section, showing a modified form of lighter, embodying features of the invention, and mounted in the dashboard of an automobile, and

Figure 6 shows the'lighter of Figure 5 in use for lighting a pipe. l

Referring to the drawings, two forms of electric lighters for pipes, cigars and cigarettes are represented, wherein the igniter element 10, 10' is fixed in position relative to its handle 12, 12* and a5 guard member 14, 14L is movable longitudinally relative to both igniter element and handle.

` The invention, however, is not limited to any particular form or forms of lighters, the chosen embodiments being merely representative of the general class of electric lighters in which the features of this invention maybe embodied.

Figures 1-4 illustrate application of the invention as an improvement in a well-known type of lighter suitable for automobile use. 'Ihis lighter, which may be drawn out from its support in the dash 16 for use, is of the sort which involves two cylindrical contacts 18, 20, each adapted, when the lighter is in the dash, to contact with one of a pair of fixed terminal contacts 22, 24 in the dash. The electric circuit through the igniter element 10 remains ordinarily broken at 26. As a preliminary touse of this type of lighter, the button 28 is to be pressed in and held there a few seconds, causing the igniter 10 to become heated, after which the lighter as a unit may be withdrawn from its dash support, and will continue hot long enough to be conveyed to the cigar, cigarette or pipe in the users mouth, and to eiiect a lighting of the tobacco.

According to the present invention, a guard 14 is made a part of the lighter unit, surrounding and shielding the igniter element'thereof at all times when said element is out of the dash 16. To this end the guard is made tubular in form, and has its end portion 30 of diameter interiorly a little greater than the external diameter of the pipe bowl with which it is to be used. Back" from this end portion, its interior diameter is enough l less, so that it fits nicely but slidably around a stiff body or supporting portion of the igniting element. 'Ihis smaller end extends into an annular groove 32 in the handle 12, where a spring 34, beyond it in the groove, continually urges the guard outward toward the position seen in Figure 3. The guard preferably will be keyed against rotation in the handle, as at 36; and the key may serve also as a stop, limiting outward movement, by engagement against the annular plate 38, secured on the handle.

The lighter unit, when out of use, conveniently may be supported in the dash 16 as seen in Figures y 1 and 2, where it is safe and out of the way. For

this plu'pose the opening 40 isprovided in the dash, having an inner portion less in diameter than the outer portion, with an abrupt shoulder 42 at the place of change. Thel fixed terminal contacts 22, 24 stand in this inner portion of the `opening and, as the lighter unit is stuck into the dash, the fixed terminal 22 contacts with the cylindrical contact 18 of the lighter, and fixed terminal 24 contacts with cylindrical contact 20 of the lighter, thereby completing the electric circuit except at the break interiorly of the unit, a 26.

r Meanwhile the guard 14 will have engaged the shoulder 42 and will have receded intoV groove 32 against the resistance of spring 34. In' order to hold the lighter unit in its positionof Figure 1 any suitable securing means may be provided. I have illustrated a pin and groove bayonet joint 'wherein the groove 44 is in an annular surroundingring 46 on the dash, and the pin 48 projects from the handle so as, by partial rotation, lto engage in the groove, a suitable slot 50 being pro- .vided in the face of the ring to permit entrance of the pin into the groove 44.

`the electrical conductors 51,? 52 are permanently When it is desired to use the lighter, the button 28 is to be pressed inward and briefly held there while the unit as a whole remains in its dash support. This completes the electric circuit at 26 and the igniter element 10 quickly becomes hot. The bottom being released, the unit as a whole is to be drawn out of the dash, whereupon the guard 14 immediately springs to its guarding position of Figure 3. Asthe unit is applied to a pipe, the element 10 continuing to be hot, pressure at the handle 12, with the pipe bowl seated in the ground, drives the igniter element into the pipe bowl, as little or as much as is necessary, for its contact with tobacco in the bowl. Once the tobacco is ignited, upon withdrawal the guard 14 springs forward to its protecting and guarding position. The unit then may be replaced in its dash support as in Figure 1. 1 v v In the type of lighter shown in Figures 5 and 6 secured to the unit. 'I'hey are arranged to be drawn out from the dash with the unit, and may have Vany of the suitable well known means for returning them, such as a spring roller or spool (not shown). In this form the igniter element 10m stands pointing outward from the dash, when not in use, and the guard 14n stands normally in its guarding position, as seen in Figure 5.` I'he electric circuit is completed as a result of the removing of the unit from the dash, there being a spring-pressed contact-carrying table 54 which is forced into the unit to break the circuit when the unit is in the dash, but which springs outward to complete the circuit immediately upon leaving the dash housing 56. Therefore, the

igniter element 10' is continually receiving electrical energy so long as the unit is out of the dash; and the guard 14* stands always, at such Asecure the unit in its dash support as was described in connection with the first form.

The invention is particularly directed to lighters for tobacco in pipes, for which itis distinctively serviceable and effective, in that it provides an element that is always in guarding service whenever the hot element is being moved about by hand, yet cooperating yieldingly with the pipe bowl, and surrendering its guarding function to the walls of the pipe bowl.' in such a manner as to permit the igniter to project beyond its origi' nal shield .and to operate on a tobacco surface deep in Athe bowl. Notwithstanding this, the same continuously guarded lighter is suitable and eilicient for cigars and cigarettes.

I claim as my invention:

. 1. A lighter -for pipes comprising lan igniter element and a handle-holder therefor; a guard 140 member mounted in the handle, encircling and projecting beyond said element; there being an annular opening in the handle along which said guard is movable: and a spring in said opening, back of said guard; whereby the guard, by pres- '145 sure oi' a pipe-bowl thereagainst, can move rearward against said spring, uncovering the said element and permitting its entrance into the bowl f of the pipe.

2. In a lighter for pipes, the combination, with 150 tion of a pipe bowl, engaging it endwise and surrounding it laterally, and being movable relative to said element and its support by endwise pressure of the pipe bowl, whereby the pipe bowl may surround the said element.

JONATHAN B. RINTELS. 

